Thursday 14 August 2008

Editor: Aaron Heath (Beat: Jon Gaunt)

1. Who are you?

I’m Aaron Murin-Heath. I’m a writer and I live in Tallinn, Estonia (at least at the moment I do). When in the UK I reside in Newark-on-Trent. I blog at tygerland.net and I’m one of the writers at Liberal Conspiracy.

2. What will you be writing about?

Jon “Gaunty” Gaunt. A man who has made a living taking piss-easy populist positions, spouting grade-A faux-outrage, and fuelling the bigotry that is as fundamental to The Sun as the paper it’s printed on. Gaunty, by “profession” a radio presenter, is also the mid-morning host on the controversial radio station talkSPORT.

3. Why are you doing this?

It’s obvious, isn’t it? I utterly loathe the paper with every ounce of my being. The Sun isn’t the only media tool used by the regressive right to mislead the masses, but it is one of the most powerful and vulgar. The Sun trades on the pretence that it’s the rag of the common man, when in fact, it’s a mouthpiece of an intolerant and hateful elite. The Sun treats its readers with the utmost contempt by insulting its collective intelligence and feeding its prejudice. The paper has a fundamental opposition to reason, and as such, should be challenged.

4. Why have you chosen your specific beat and/or what skills and expertise can you bring to it?

Gaunt’s position are usually reactionary and rarely informed. It’s cheap and lazy, and it’s astonishing that this sort of work pays so well. My burden is to call Gaunty on his bullshit.

4 comments:

Tim said...

"The Sun trades on the pretence that it’s the rag of the common man, when in fact, it’s a mouthpiece of an intolerant and hateful elite."

Well said, and welcome aboard.

Unknown said...

Have you heard the Collings & Herrin podcast? They too are Gaunt aficionados.

Anonymous said...

Good luck.
I live in Luton and had to endure his local radio days as well. He certainly found his natural home at The Sun.
You should keep a count of how many times he mentions his father, a 'real copper', per article...

ejh said...

There was a young lady called Lynne
Who discovered a love from Tallinn
But her judgement was wrong
While the town's full of song
It derives from the drinking of Finns